Corset



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. WOODRUFF. CORSET.

No. 561.464. PtentedJune z, 1896.

(No Model.) 2 Sheetvs--Sheret 2A M. WOODRUFF.

CORSET.

N6. 661,464. Pad-,61166666116 2, 1696.

ANDREW BERAWIM. FHDTO-UTNO-WASHINGTON. D.:

NTTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MINA IVOODRUFF, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALFRED M. DELAVAN, OF SAME PLACE.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,464, dated J' une 2, 1896.

Application filed December 20, 1895. Serial No. 572,745. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MINA IVOODRUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and Stateof California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a corset having shoulder-straps arranged in 1o such a manner that there will be no liability of their becoming displaced accidentally from the shoulder and in which the rear strap will be strengthened and stifened in such a manner as to cause it to perform its office more satisfactorily than has heretofore been done.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure l is a fragmental front view of a human form with one of my improved corsets 2o in place thereon. Fragments of the material are broken away to reveal the ends of the steels. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one of the side sections which assists in forming the bust-pocket. Fig. 5 is a like view of the central or main section of the bust-pocket. Fig. 6 is a like View of the other side section forming the bust-pocket, having the outer layer turned4 3o back to show the arrangement of the straightedged corset-steel and the curved meeting edge of such section.

In the drawings, A represents the corset, and B B B represent .three sections, the up- 3 5 per ends of which are enlarged to form the bust-pocket l). These sections all extend the full length of the corset from top to bottom, and thereby I avoid any sudden change in the diameter of the corset, which invariably 4o causes a sense of restriction at such point. This is unavoidable where a gusset or gore is used, no matter howmuch care is used in iitt-ing the corset.

The main bust-section B extends from top to bottom of the corset and at its upper end is enlarged, the side lines curving gently outward on eachside and then curving in toward each other, so that the upper portion of such section greatly resembles in outline the 5o well-known Indian clubs. The effect of this is to avoid the presence of thick seams across the center of the bust, which often causes unequal and injurious heating of the bust. Furthermore, this construction permits the bustpocket to be made of only three sections and sufficiently large to chamber any bust, without the use of gussets, thereby avoiding any sudden change in diameter of the corset, the objectionable features of which I have hereinbefore set forth. By curving the side lines 6o of this section toward each other at the upper end of the section the top of the bust-pocket is made to curve in and fit snugly upon the top of the bust, as shown in Fig. 3, and, since the steels do not extend to the top of the bustpocket, when t-he wearer sits down there is none of that objectionable prominence of the top of the corsetwhich is so common with corsets as heretofore constructed.

The front portion of the corset extends 7o downward below the bottoms of the steels or stiffening, and the edges are secured together by hooks and eyes C', as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, and is arranged to form an inelastic flexible abdominal pocket C. In order 7 5 to adjust this pocket to fit the wearer, I provide a slit D in each side of the corset, arranged directly over the hip of the wearer. These slits are provided with suitable lacings D', whereby the spread of the slits may be 8o regulated to adjust the abdominal pocket to exactly fit the abdomen of the wearer. When once adjusted, the support is uniform and unvaryin g, and no sense of uncomfortable pressure is experienced. These slits only ex- 8 5 tend to within about one and onehalf inches below the waistline of the corset, and this arrangement of the abdominal pocket may be regulated by the lacing. This is not possible where the lacing extends from top to bottom 9o of the corset, for the reason that in such case when one portion of the slit is drawn together by the lacing the strain soon works the lacing through the eyelets and contracts the corset along its entire length. The effect of terminating these side slits below the waist-line E is to cause the Waist of the wearer to look longer than it really is. This is a very important feature for fleshy people, and it is impossible to secure this effect in any other way so satisfactory and simple.

The two steels F F which extend along the IOO side of the corset and over the hips of the wearer are arranged widely divergent at their lower ends, as shown in Fig. 3. By this means when the wearer bends sidewise the lower ends of the steels slide over the ball G of the hip, and perfect freedom of movement is thus given with the least possible danger of breaking the steels.

Vith my improved corset I extend the top A of the corset above the tops of the steels and arrange the armhole II so that the corset iits snugly up around the arm. By reason of the stiifening-steels ending at a distance from the upper edge a of the corset this is not only unobjectionable, but highly comfortable. One great advantage of this construction is that it draws or presses the bust toward the front and causes it to snugly fill the bust-pocket Z9. Vhere the armhole of the corset is made la-rger than the arm, any pressure of the pocket upon the bust causes the bust to spread toward the arm, which be sides being uncomfortable is injurious to health.

A further advantage of extending the corset upward above the tops of the steels is that thereby a flexible pad is formed above the steels, which supports and prevents the top of the corset from showing through the dress. It is impossible, with a dress fitted over my improved corset, to see the line of demarcation where the corset ends, and, in fact, but for the superb form which it produces one would never imagine that a corset was worn by the wearer.

The section B of each bust-pocket is extended upward to form a shoulder-strap b, which I iit to the wearer, and a single cord b" extends from the bottom of the corset to the top of the shoulder-strap. The back sections I of the corset also extend upward in line with the steels I/ to form a shoulderstrap, and a series of cords are arranged upon the steels and beneath the cover of the corset and are extended above the steels to the top of the shoulder-straps to thereby strengthen such straps and to stii'l'en them, so that they will retain their shape and position. The front and rear straps are connected by means of an elastic section J. The effect of this is to cause the bust-pocket to fit snugly and smoothly against the bust and to also draw the shoulders backward7 so that my corset, in fact, also serves as an effective shoulder-brace.

So far as I am aware, in all corsets heretofore made the front edges of the corsets have been formed perfectly straight and have been secured to straight-edged steels. Now it is essential in order to produce a perfect fit that each edge of each section be curved to cause it to conform to the shape of the body. Vhere the two edges are made perfectly straight and straight-edged fastening-steels are secured thereto, it is impossible to produce a perfect iit for the wearer. In my improved corset I form the front edge Zi of each "front section curved, as shown in Fig. 6, to

cause them to fit the wearer perfectly, and I then insert between the two thicknessesl 2 of such edge a straight-edged fastening-steel K, and then secure the two curved edges together by stitching K', as shown, so that the fasteners project from the corset; but the straight edge 7s of the fastening-steel will be brought against the curved edge b of the front section of the corset when the corset is secured in place upon the wearer, as shown in Fig. l. This construction allows the front sections to conform to the contour of the body, while the straight edges of the fastening-steels allow them to be readily fastened together.

I have found in practice that where the upper portion of the corset projects above the steels the four steels I I I I" at the back of the corset must have their tops arranged substantially in line, as shown in Fig. 2. If this is not done, the lacing of the upper flexible portion of the corset will draw awry, so that an unsightlyiit will be pro-4 duced.

My improved corset is especially designed for the best trade, and I have been accustomed to make each one to order by measurement. XV hen the corset is in position upon the wearer, the abdominal pocket (J is adjusted by means of the lacing D' until it easily lits the abdomen. If the wearerbends sidewise, the steels F F slide over the ball G of the hip, thus preventing breakage of the steels.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters vPatent, is-

A corset comprising the combination set forth of the back section having its upper end formed into a strap projecting upward above the top of the body of the corset: the back steel, arranged in line with the strap and terminating below the top of the body of the corset: the cords arranged on top of the steel and beneath the outer layer of the corset and extending from the bottom of the corset to the top of the strap, substantially as described.

MINA WOODRUFF. \Vitiiesses:

ALFRED I. TowNsEND, JAMES R. TowNsEND.

IOO 

